Top 2% Scientist Badge

Last updated: September 3rd, 2026

Summary

This extension does not collect, store, transmit, or share any personal information, browsing history, or user data of any kind. It does not use analytics, tracking, or advertising. This page describes exactly what the extension does with data, in full. This policy applies to the extension on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. The extension is identical on all three.

What the extension readswhich researcher names appear in the Stanford/Elsevier

When you visit a Google Scholar profile page (scholar.google.com/citations?...), On first use and periodically afterward to stay current, the extension downloads a small data file from TOPSCINET’s servers (via Cloudflare). This file contains no names and no personal information of any kind. It holds only short numeric fingerprints of researcher names, together with a count of how many people in the global Top 2% Scientists list share each fingerprint. The comparison against the name on the page you are viewing happens entirely on your device. The file is stored in your browser’s built-in local database so that repeat visits to Scholar do not require re-downloading it.

What the extension downloads

On first use, and periodically afterward to stay current, the extension downloads a small data file from TOPSCINET’s servers (via Cloudflare). This file contains no names and no personal information of any kind. It holds only short numeric fingerprints of researcher names, together with a count of how many people in the global Top 2% Scientists list share each fingerprint. The comparison against the name on the page you are viewing happens entirely on your device. The file is stored in your browser’s built-in local database so that repeat visits to Scholar do not require re-downloading it.

What the extension sends

Two things, and only these:

  1. The one-time (and periodic) download above: an outgoing request to fetch the ranking data file. No information about you or your browsing is included in this request beyond what any web request contains by default (e.g., your IP address, which is included in any web request. Our hosting provider may record standard request logs for security and abuse prevention. We do not use them to identify you, and they are not linked to any TOPSCINET account).
  2. A lookup when you click or hover the badge: if the researcher you’re viewing matches the Top 2% list, clicking the badge sends a request to TOPSCINET’s servers to redirect you to their profile page, or to show a short informational tooltip (institution, rank). This request contains only an anonymous identifier for the matched researcher, never your name, your Scholar account, or any other information about you.

No cookies are set by the extension. No user accounts, sign-in, or identifiers are created or required.

What the extension does NOT do

  • Does not read, log, or transmit your Google Scholar account information, search history, or any page content other than the currently displayed researcher’s name.
  • Does not run on any site other than scholar.google.com/citations pages.
  • Does not use cookies, fingerprinting, or any tracking technology.
  • Does not share data with third parties. TOPSCINET (DataMeta Lab) does not sell or share any data collected through this extension because none is collected.
  • Does not display ads.

Permissions explained

storage: (Chrome only): the Chrome package declares this standard permission. Nothing is stored under it beyond the local caching described above, and the Firefox and Microsoft Edge packages do not request it at all.

Local caching: (Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge): the downloaded ranking data file is stored in your browser’s built-in local database so the extension works quickly and does not re-download it on every page visit. This data stays on your device and is never sent anywhere.

Host access to pub-4262acbbb5d343d89c615d6b38474b4b.r2.dev and badge.top2percentscientists.com : the two TOPSCINET-operated addresses the extension downloads data from and sends badge-lookup requests to, as described above. No other network access is requested or used.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted at this same URL with a new “Last updated” date.

Contact

Questions about this extension or this policy: [email protected]